The requirements which have to be met by pieces of seating furniture, in particular by office furniture, have increased constantly in the past. Of predominant importance in a large number of embodiments, in particular, are comfort-related requirements in combination with ergonomic aspects. Sitting in a manner which is kind to the back is just as important here as providing a flexible and compact piece of seating furniture which has a stable stand and provides a high level of flexibility for adjusting comfort-related parameters.
DE 1 032 492 B discloses an office stool having a mobile, three-legged base framework and a height-adjustable saddle seat.
Pieces of seating furniture have a saddle-form seat surface, wherein the seat surface is arranged on a saddle support. The seat surface is mounted between a front saddle member on a front member support and a rear saddle member on a rear member support. A saddle surface provides an anatomically comfortable way of sitting for the user. In the present embodiment of the piece of seating furniture, the surface is designed to be larger than a conventional saddle, for example of a standing seat or of a bicycle, such that support is given to the entire region of the user's bottom. This avoids the unpleasant situation where the seat leaves its impression on the user. Furthermore, it is also possible for the user's back to be positioned in the healthy S shape, since dynamic sitting, as on a sitting ball, is possible.
In one embodiment, the seat surface is formed as a minimal surface by way of a covering, which is mounted between the saddle members. This further improves the adaptation to the anatomy of the user's bottom and increases the sitting comfort. Minimal surfaces always constitute optimum uniformity of the surface progression while avoiding edge locations.
In one embodiment, the covering, by means of which the seat surface is formed, is connected to the front saddle member between a first end of the front saddle member and a second end of the front saddle member, in particular in a continuous and opening-free manner to the front saddle member along a first fastening region and also for the covering, by means of which the seat surface is formed, to be connected to the rear saddle member between a first end of the rear saddle member and a second end of the rear saddle member, in a continuous and opening-free manner to the rear saddle member along a second fastening region. This achieves optimum attachment of the seat surface or of the covering, which forms the seat surface, to the front and the rear saddle members, and it is therefore possible for the seat surface also to be made from highly flexible and/or thin materials such as woven fabrics or sheet materials, since these are retained in an opening-free manner in the region of the saddle members. It is thus, in particular, possible for the tensile stressing, which constitutes a significant factor for the load-bearing capability of thin coverings, to be transmitted uniformly to the covering and for tearing of the covering, which is more likely as a result of peaks in stressing, to be avoided. The invention provides for the covering to be clamped in at the saddle members and possibly, in addition, to be adhesively bonded and/or welded thereto or for the covering to be folded over around the front saddle member and/or around the rear saddle member and possibly, in addition, to be adhesively bonded and/or welded thereto.
A further embodiment is distinguished in that the seat surface is designed to be fixed at the saddle members and flexible between the saddle members, in particular at connecting edges 9. The connecting edges here are located in those parts of an all-round peripheral region of the seat surface where the seat surface runs between the front saddle member and the rear saddle member. This allows optimum connection to the saddle members. When the piece of seating furniture according to the invention is being used for sitting on, the user's legs usually bear against the side edges or connecting edges of the seat surface. The flexible configuration here means that there are no pressure points established.
A further embodiment of the piece of seating furniture has the seat surface mounted in a self-supporting manner between the saddle members. The avoidance of supporting structures beneath the seat surface further improves the seating comfort, since it is not possible for any pressure points to be established and the seat surface adapts itself in a fully flexible manner.
The seat surface may be defined by a woven mesh fabric which allows good ventilation and, in particular in summer, provides for a pleasant sitting experience. The covering thus has breathable properties, and therefore body heat given off by the user's body can be expelled in optimum fashion through the covering. It is also possible for a woven mesh fabric to be made to meet requirements in optimum fashion as a result of the type of weaving used and/or as a result of the properties of the weaving thread.
The first fastening region may follow a curved, convex progression of the front saddle member, wherein the first fastening region has a first length, and for the second fastening region to follow a curved, convex progression of the rear saddle member, wherein the second fastening region has a second length L6. As a result of the two convexly running saddle members, the saddle surface, which is mounted between the saddle members, is formed as a saddle surface which is curved convexly in the direction of the user's bottom, and it assumes an ergonomically advantageous shape similar to a riding saddle.
The covering may be configured with a thickness of not more than 3 mm and in particular with a thickness of not more than 2 mm. Such coverings are available cost-effectively in a wide variety of different embodiments and, in particular, can readily realize a breathable design. Such dimensioning of the covering straightforwardly ensures the necessary level of flexibility of the covering, and therefore the covering can readily follow the flexing of the front and rear saddle members.
In a further expedient embodiment, it is provided that the front saddle member on the front member support and the rear saddle member on the rear member support are designed such that they can be displaced relative to one another, in particular such that the distance between the two can be changed via a tensioning device. If the tensioning device comprises a spindle and a hand wheel, it is then possible, by virtue of the spindle being rotated by its hand wheel, to increase a distance between the two member-support portions, and thus tension the covering, or to decrease said distance, and thus reduce tensioning of the covering. The tensioning and thus the hardness of the seat surface can be adjusted as a result, and therefore said seat surface can be adapted to the individual comfort-related requirements and user-related parameters, for example body weight and sitting position.
A further-expedient configuration of the piece of seating furniture is configured with the front saddle member and the rear saddle member having, at each of their ends, a spiral turn, in which the seat surface is mounted, in particular by winding, wherein, between the saddle members, the peripheral region of the seat surface is guided in a wound manner preferably around a covering guide. Mounting the covering, which forms the seat surface, by “winding” provides a stable, tear-proof edge without it being necessary to introduce additional edge reinforcements, which reduce, for example, the flexibility. It is conceivable to fold in a flat material to provide a certain amount of guidance and dimensional stability for the wound region. At the ends of the members, the material which forms the seat surface is provided, by the spiral turn, with an advantageous guide, which is favorable for loading purposes, since edges are avoided. This makes it possible to realize a high level of material tensioning without particular reinforcements having to be carried out.
In general terms, in particular the use of point-elastic woven mesh material as the covering material creates an advantageous seat-surface embodiment which provides a high level of comfort, while advantageous stability is provided at the same time, when it is subjected, for example, to point loading by the contents of back pockets (e.g. a set of keys).
An expedient embodiment of the piece of seating furniture has the saddle support arranged on a rolling framework, wherein the rolling framework has, in particular, a front extension arm, with a front roller, and two rear extension arms, with rear rollers, and the angle α1 of, in particular, greater than 120° is formed between the front extension arm and rear extension arm. Arranging the saddle support and a seat unit, which comprises the seat surface, the saddle members and the member supports, on the rolling framework makes it possible for the piece of seating furniture to be used as a mobile workstation for project meetings and team work or to provide a high level of freedom of movement at a desk. Furthermore, the saddle support may be designed as a telescopic support which allows height adjustment of the seat unit in relation to an underlying surface. A telescopic support provided is also one, in particular, which even allows adjustment from a piece of seating furniture to a piece of sit stand furniture. The possibility of configuring the front roller and/or one or both of the rear rollers as arrestable rollers also provides for improved use as a piece of sit stand furniture.
A further expedient embodiment is configured with the seat surface defined at a front portion, by way of the front saddle member, with a height h4 and a width b4 and at a rear portion, by way of the rear saddle member, with a height h6 and a width b6, where preferably h4>h6 and b6>b4. The widths of the saddle members are measured horizontally in space and at right angles to a longitudinal axis L1 of the piece of seating furniture, said axis being defined by the front member support and being located horizontally in space. Observing the aforementioned dimensional relationships gives the seat surface a three-dimensional shape which meets the basic anatomical requirements. In principle, the highest point HP4 of the front saddle member has a difference in height H46, as measured vertically in space, in relation to the highest point HP6 of the rear saddle member, wherein the highest point HP4 of the front saddle member is located at a higher level than the highest point HP6 of the rear saddle member. The corresponding saddle geometry, which gives an advantageous seat-surface shape, promotes well-being and makes it possible for a user to sit on the piece of seating furniture for prolonged periods without feeling fatigue. The posture and body position here are made to adopt preferably a lordosis shape, with forwardly inclined curvature or an S shape, so that healthy sitting is made possible.
A further advantageous embodiment of the piece of seating furniture has the progression of the member supports corresponding, as seen in vertical projection, essentially to the progression of the extension arms. Basing the progression of the member supports on the progression of the rolling framework, and essentially on the progression of the saddle shape of the seat surface, ensures a high level of positional stability since the supports and extension arms provide support along the tilting axes of the seat surface.
Provision is also made for the front member support and the rear member support to form a carrier, a saddle here comprising the carrier, the front saddle member, the rear saddle member and the seat surface, which is formed as a covering, wherein the front saddle member is arranged at a front end of the carrier, wherein the rear saddle member is arranged at rear ends of the carrier, wherein the front saddle member and the rear saddle member are spaced apart from one another such that they are located opposite one another with no contact, wherein the covering is fastened on the oppositely located saddle members such that the covering, subjected to tensile stressing, forms the seat surface, wherein the seat surface is curved convexly in the direction of a user's bottom, wherein the covering is elastically expansible and designed, and tensioned, such that it is suitable, when subjected to elastic deformation as a seat surface, to carry the user. A piece of seating furniture designed in this way provides a high level of comfort and is flexible to use.
Finally, provision is made for the length of the first fastening region to be equal to the length of the second fastening region and for the covering, by means of which the seat surface is formed, in a state in which it rests in planar fashion on a planar surface, to be configured in the form of a rectangle, this creating a seat surface or covering which can be fastened on the two carrying members with comparable levels of pretensioning.
As an alternative, provision is made for the length of the first fastening region to be dimensioned to be greater than the length of the second fastening region, and not more than 1.5 times the length of the second fastening region, and for the seat surface, in a state in which it rests in planar fashion on a planar surface, to be configured in the form of a rectangle or of a trapezoid, this creating specific seat shapes in which the length of the fastening region of the front saddle member is longer than the length of the fastening region of the rear saddle member. As an alternative, provision is also made for the length of the second fastening region to be dimensioned to be greater than the the length of the first fastening region, and not more than 1.5 times the length of the first fastening region, and for the seat surface, in a state in which it rests in planar fashion on a planar surface, to be configured in the form of a rectangle or of a trapezoid, this creating specific seat shapes in which the length of the fastening region of the front saddle member is shorter than the length of the fastening region of the rear saddle member.
Finally, the pretensioning of the covering may be adjustable, so that the extent of elastic deformation of the covering can be adjusted to the individual requirements of a user and/or adaptation to the respective weight of a user can be effected. It is also thus possible to counteract a reduction in the tensioning as a result of material aging and/or a reduction or increase in the tensioning as a result of a change in temperature, and to establish the desired state of tensioning with minimal outlay.
The foregoing paragraphs have been provided by way of general introduction, and are not intended to limit the scope of the following claims. The various preferred embodiments, together wit further advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.